Pronged socket



Patented Dec. 13, 1932 UNETED STATES DANIEL I. REITER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y;

PRONGED SOCKET Application filed August 9, 1932. Serial No. 628,030.

My invention relates to snap fastener sockets, and particularly, to that type designed to be applied to carpets, cloth, leather, or other sheet material. 7

5 Such sockets are subjected to unusual stresses due to persons stepping or walking on the material to which the socket isa'pplied. It therefore becomes desirable to provide means whereby the socket is firmly and se- 0 curely held to the comparativelysoft mate'- rial to which it is customarily applied. My invention therefore contemplates the provision of means in such a socket to permit the socket to be so attached to the material as to resist to a maximum, any possi bility of detachment therefrom or distortion due, not only, to the severe stresses to which the socket is subjected but also, to the stresses put thereon when the socket is applied to or withdrawn from a cooperating stud.

My invention I further contemplates the provision of a socket which can be mechanically stitched to the material to which it is applied economically, easily, and. rapidly. My invention further contemplates the provision of means in the socket to serve not only as a reinforcement for the various walls thereof but also, to serve as a fulcrum about which the prongs provided therein may be bent, to serve as an anvil against which the Jrongs are so bent, to serve, further, as a support for the carpet, and to prevent distortion of the socket when the material is stepped'on.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a one-piece socket embodying the features above-mentioned, and provided with concentric sets of spaced prongs; adapted to be passed through the material and bent in opposite directions, to inter-lock or inter-lace with each other, and thereby securing all of the advantages of prongs bent either outward y or inwardly, and efliciently securing the socket to the material by firmly gripoing. compressing, and substantially enclos an annular section of the material in the socket.

My invention may take various forms.

For example, thesocket may be made resilient or non-resilient in a considerable variety of wcli-known forms for the purpose of cooperating with a non-resilient or resilient stud, respectively. My new socket, while preferably made ofa single piece of material, may be provided with various resilient members, if desired, such as are shown in my prior Patents Nos. 1,7 44,919 and 1,744,- 920, dated January 28th, 1939, or separable resilient elements such as are shown in my prior Patents Nos. 1,740,266 and 1,753,218, dated December 17th, 1929 and April 8th, 1980, respectively. The socket may be formed from a substantially circular blank, or may be made in strip form and later bent into circular form, as will appear more fully hereinafter. In any case, however,.1prefer; to make the socket of annular form and to provide a series of prongs extending from the outer marginal portion of the socket and a similar pair of prongs extending from the inner peripheral portion of the socket, the sets of prongs being so spaced'that when bent in the desired directions, the prongs of one set interlace with theprongs of the other set. Between the-prongs of each set, I prefer to provide a series of reinforcing fingers or walls forming the outer and inner peripheral walls of the socket and bent toward the other set of: prongs. Said walls or fingers have a number of functions, as will be later seen. 30

- The various objects of my invention will be clear fromthe description which follows, and from the drawing, inwhich,

Fig, 1 is a vertical section of my invention, as it appears applied to a carpet provided with a pile, and in its operative position, wherein it is detachably fastened to a non'-; resilient stud of a well known type, to support the socket in proper relation to a floor.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a slightly modified form of the socket shown in 1, i as it appears before its application to the material, and before the prongs thereof have been bent.

Fig. 8 is a plan viewof one form of the blank from which the sockets of Figs. 1 and 2 may be made.

Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig.1, of a modified form of my new socket wherein the socket is made substantiallynon-resilient, but a resilient stud of a well known type is used in connection therewith, the material to which the socket is applied being illustrated as a woven carpet having no pile.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of that form of my new socket made from a circular blank such as that of Fig. 3, showing in the upper portion thereof, the socket as it appears ap plied to the material, and in the lower portion thereof, the socket as it appears before application.

Fig. 6 is a top plan View of a metal blank in the form of a strip from which my new socket may be made.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the same as it appears after the blank has been bent to form the walls, the upstanding prongs, and the reinforcing fingers of the socket, but before the blank has been bent into its circular form to form the socket.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the same, showing the blank bent into circular form to form the socket, and illustrating the gap between the ends of the blank for making the socket resilient.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section of a modified form of my socket wherein the horizontal portions of the various fingers have been omitted, and the fingers are not separated.

In that practical embodiment of my invention which I have illustrated by way of we ample, and referring particularly to Fig. 1, I have there shown a resilient socket 10 secured to a carpet or other sheet material 11, the carpet illustrated being provided with the pile 12. The socket is further illustrated as engaging the non-resilient stud 13. Said stud is of a type well known in the art, and need not be further described except to state that an outstanding flange as 14: may be provided thereon, and a suitable screw as 15 secured to the stud, so that the stud may be attached to a floor 16 by driving the screw 15 thereinto.

In this form of my invention as in the other forms, which will be later described, I provide two sets of prongs designated, respectively, by the numerals 17 and 18. The prongs of each set are preferably spaced apart by a series of fingers forming part of a wall of the socket. The outer set of prongs 17 projects, preferably, from the outer annular wall .19 of the socket while the inner set 18 of the prongs extends from the inner annular wall 20 of the socket.

The sets of prongs 17 and 18 are thereby preferably arranged concentrically to each other, and the prongs of each set are spaced apart and are adapted to be passed through the sheet 11, and bent thereover.

Between each of the prongs of the outer set 17 is arranged a finger 21 outstanding, preferably, from the periphery of the outer wall 19 and preferably, in radial alignn'ient with one of the prongs of the inner set 18. The

terminal or free end portions of the fingers 21 are bent inwardly at substantially right angles to the outer wall 19 into substantially horizontal position, and into substantial parallelism with the connecting wall 22. Said wall 22 is integral with and connects the inner and outer walls of the socket. It will be seen that the terminal bent portions of the fingers are arranged in spaced relation to and directly above the connecting wall 22.

Similarly, between each of the inner prongs 18, is arranged a finger 23 similar to the finger 21, but outstanding from the periphery of the inner wall 20 and bent outwardly into radial alignment with the oppositely disposed prong of the set 17. The terminal portions of said fingers 23 preferably lie in the same plane as that of the fingers 21. It will be seen that by so arranging the terminal portions of the fingers, a discontinuous wall 26 is formed, which limits the penetration of the prongs throughthe sheet 1 and which is designed to contact with the under side 24 of said sheet and thereby, to support the sheet in the operative position of the socket.

To secure my new socket in place, the socket is first arranged on the under side 24 of the material and axial pressure applied thereto to force the prongs 17 and 18 through the material and to force the discontinuous wall 26 against the material. The necessary axial pressure may be applied by means of a suitable tool or fastener setting machine such as that illustrated, for example, in my co-pending application for patent for fasterner setting machine, Serial No. 309,72 8, filed Octoher 2nd, 1928, the setting dies and anvil being suitably shaped for that purpose. 1 pre for to so form the setting tool that the prongs of the outer set 17 are bent inwardly over the fingers 23 and the prongs of the set 18 are bent outwardly over the fingers 21. By so bending the prongs in opposite directions over the material 11 and the wall 26, the prongs are interlocked or inter-laced with each other to mechanically stitch or sew the socket to the material, as shown in the upper portion of Fig. 5 at 27. The socket is thereby so firmly secured to the material that detachment or loosening thereof, even under the severe stresses to which the socket may be subjected, is adequately prevented.

It will be noted that if the terminal portions of the fingers 21 and 23 end close to the respective prongs 18 and 17, then said ends or terminal portions serve as a fulcrum about which the prongs may more readily be bent. However, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the fingers 21, 23 may terminate inwardly of their respective opposed prongs, if desired. Even in that case, said terminal portions may also serve as fulcrums for the bending of the prongs because of the intervening material between the prongs and said fingers.

Said fingers serve a plurality of functions.

lit)

liii) They cooperate with each other to form the wall 26, which serves not only to support the material 11, but also serves as an anvil against which the prongs may be bent, thereby making it easier for the prongs to be bent into their proper positions, and to be firmly imbedded in the sheet.

The fingers further serve to clamp an annular ring or section of the sheet 11 between themselves and the prongs after the prongs have been bent into the material. Said fingers further serve as a reinforcing means for the inner and outer walls 20 and 19, respectively, and aid to prevent distortion of the socket under the pressure employed in securing the socket to the material, and serve'a similar purpose in preventing distortion when the socket or material is stepped on by the user. It will be noted that as illustrated in Fig. 1, if the socket is secured to a carpet iaving a pile 12, then the prongs, when bent, are concealed by the pile. It will be understood, however, that my new socket need not necessarily be applied to carpets having piles since they may be applied as well to carpets without piles and to other types of sheet material, whether textiles or leathers orthe like.

If, desired, the prongs 17 and 18 may be biased outwardly or inwardly, respectively, to insure the bending thereof in the desired direction, though it will be understood that said prongs may project vertically, and. dependence had upon the proper shape of the anvil. As illustrated, however, the prongs 17 are shown outstanding vertically while the prongs 18 are shown as biased outwardly, not only for the purpose of insuring the bending thereof in the desired direction, but also, to present a head or projectionon the wall 20 for the proper snapping engagement with the stud 13. The inner wall 20 forms,-.as illustrated, the resilient socket wall and comprises the lower terminal portion of the prongs 18 and the corresponding portionof the fingers 23, said fingers and prongs being separated by the substantially radial slits 29 and 30 of the circular blank 28, shown in Fig. 3.

It will be understood, however, that the inner wall 20 and the connecting wall 22 may be made substantially unslitted, (Figs. 4 and 9). Should it be desired. to have such an unslitted, solid or continuous inner wall, then the socket may nevertheless be made resilient by causing the fingers 21 and 23 to terminate inwardly and outwardly, respectively, of their respective prongs.

In Fig. 1, the fingers 23 terminate inwardly of the prong 17 and the fingers 21 terminate outwardly of the prongs 18 so that the wall 20 is free to yield under the pressure of a stud passing into the opening 31 which is surrounded by the wall 20. In Fig. 9. the horizontal portions of the fingers are omitted, but a socket, sufliciently resilient to snap into engagement with a non-resilient stud, is nevertheless formed;

In Fig, 4, it will be noted that the slits correspondingto the slits 29 and 30 are considerably shortened, so that they do not enter the connecting wall 22 at all, and extend only partly into the wall 20 and may even be omitted from the latter wall, if desired. In that case, should the various fingers extend into substantial contact with their opposed prongs, then a non-resilient socket isformed, a dapted to receive the resilient stud 32. But should the fingers terminate in spaced relation to the prongs as in 1, a resilient socket is formed.

Any of the sockets illustrated in Figs. 1, 2,

4, and 9 may, as has been indicated, be formed I from a circular blank as 28. Said blank is stamped from a sheet of metal and simultaneously slitted and is then drawn into the proper shape,by means wellknown in the.

necting wall 22 is similarly formed from the material between the dash-dot lines 34 and 35.

The inner wall 20 is formed from the material between the lines 35 and 36. The prongs 18 are formed from the material extending in wardly from the line 35 of the blank and between the slits 29 and 30. Thehorizontal portions of the fingers 23 are similarly formed from the material betweenthe slits 29 and 30 and inwardly of the slit 36. It will I be understood, however, that by reason of the ductility of thematerial from which my socket is made, the spacing of the lines 33, 3 1, 35 and '36 need not correspond to the finished dimensions of the various walls, fingers and prongs of the socket and that said spacing and the arrangement and dimensions of the slits may also be greatly varied. 7 Referring now to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, I have there shown a socket formed from a straight, elongated strip of material which is later bent into circular form. In Fig. 6. the blank 40 may be stamped or otherwise cut in the form shown wherein prongs and fingers alternate on each edge of the blank. The prongs and fingers may be made in a long strip which is afterwards cut to the proper length. to form when bent, a socket of the desired diameter, or the strip with the prongs and fingers formed thereon may be cut from strips of the desired length, and the prongs and fingers simultaneously bent up. or later bent in. as desired. In either case, however, the strip or blank ispreferablv s itted at various points to permit the bending thereof into the form shown in Fig. 8 after the prongs and fingers have first been bent therefrom, it being understood that the ductility of the material permits considerable latitude in this respect.

The outer prongs 41 are preferably separated from the adjacent fingers 43, by means of suitable slits as 4.4: terminating at 45. The connecting wall 22 extends between the lines 46 and 47, being slitted by the spaced slits 4:8 and 4-9 for part of its width. The inner wall 20 is bent from the material between the lines 47 and 50, while the horizontal portion of the fingers 21 are bent from the material between the line 50 and the outermost edge of the blank. Similarly, the outer wall. 19 is bent from the material between the lines 46 and 51, while the fingers are bent from the material between the line 51 and the adjacent edge of the blank.

Similarly, the outer wall 19 is bent from the material between the ines 41-6 and 51, while the fingers 23 are bent from the material between the line 51 and the adjacent edge of the blank.

After the blank has been bent, in its straight form, with the prongs ll and 42 and fingers 4'3 and 21 lu istanding from the wall 22, as in Fig. 7, the entire straight strip with the thus bent fingers is bent into circular form. This becomes possible by reason of the ductility of the material aided by slits 4. 8 and 49 in the inner wall, which tend to close up or contract. and by reason oiithe slits in the outer wall. which tend to separate or expand during the bending opera tion. The ends 52 and 53 of the bent-up strip are brought toward each other as in Fig. 8. but remain slightly separated as by the slight gap 5-1 whereby the socket thus bent may expand or contract under the pressure or". a stud passing into the opening 31.

It will. be seen that I have provided a simple but eflicient socket, adapted to be firmly and, securely applied to sheet material, that said socket is provided with suitable means for supporting the carpet. for permitting the easy and rapid bending of the prongs thereof into their operative positions, and for firmly gripping the material against possible detachment.

It will further be seen that I have provided a sin'iple and eiiicient method for making such sockets from sheet material, and

I claim:

1. In a one-piece socket, adapted to be cured to a flexible sheet, an outer wall, spaced outstanding prongs on said outer wall, reinforcing lingers between said prongs on said outer wall, an inner *all, a connecting wall on the socket joining the inner and outer walls, spaced prongs on the inner wall and reinforcing fingers between the prongs on the inner wall, the terminal portions of the fingers on the inner and outer walls being substantially parallel to and directly above the connecting wall, the prongs on the inner wall being adapted to be bent radially in one direction and the prongs on the outer wall being adapted to be bent radially in the opposite direction to interlace said prongs, and to compress an annular portion of the sheet between the prongs and said terminal portions of the fingers.

2. I11 asocket, adapted to be applied to a sheet of flexible material. an annular inner *all, an annular outer wall, a linger on each of the walls adapted to be arranged on one side of the sheet and a prong on each of the walls piercing the sheet, and adapted to be bent over on to the other side of the sheet, each of said fingers being arranged to cooperate with one of the prongs in the operative position of the socket to compress the material of the sheet therebetween.

3. In a socket, an inner wall, an outer wall, a connecting wall between the inner and outer walls, a prong on one of the walls, adapted to be bent radially of the socket. and a linger on the other wall in radial alignment with the prong, said finger being bent in one direction and directly underlying said prong, when the prong has been bent radially in the opposite direction into its operative position.

4;. In a socket having an inner and an outer wall and adapted to be formed from a metal blank, a set of prongs on one of the walls bent radially in one direction and a second set of prongs on the oth r wall bent radially in the opposite direction, one of said sets of prongs forming part of the inner wall or the socket and surrounding an opening in the socket and thereby adapted to engage a stud passed into the opening.

5. I11 a socket having an inner wall and adapted to be applied to a flexible sheet, a set of circularly aligned prongs on the socket adapted to be passed through the sheet, and a second set of circularly aligned prongs spaced inwardly from the first1nentioned set and adapted to be passed througl'i. the sheet, the prongs of said second set being each provided with a resilient portion at its lower end forming part of the inner wall of the socket and adapted to engage a cooperating stud.

6. In a socket member adapted to be applied to a flexible sheet and having a central opening therein, outer prongs on the outer periphery of the socket, inner fingers on the inner periphery of the socket in radial align ment with said outer prongs and surrounding the opening, inner prongs on the inner periphery of the socket, and surrounding the opening and outer fingers on the outer periphery in radial alignment with the inner prongs, said inner and outer fingers being adapted to be arranged on one side of the sheet, the outer prongs being adapted to pass through the sheet and to be bent radially in one direction, and the inner prongs being adapted to pass through the sheet and to be bent radially in the other direction to interlace said prongs on the other side of the sheet.

7. In a socket provided with outstanding walls, a pair of spaced sets of prongs, each set forming part of and projecting from the respective walls, one of said sets being adapted to be bent radially in one direction the other set being adapted to be bent radially in another direction, and resisting means independent of the prongs and forming parts of said walls and reinforcing the socket, over which means the prongs are adapted to be bent.

8. In a socket, means for mechanically stitching the socket to a flexible sheet, comprising spaced outer prongs on the outer periphery of the socket, inner prongs on the inner periphery of the socket in alternate spaced relation with the prongs on the outer periphery, and a flange on the socket adapted to underlie the sheet and the prongs, when the prongs are bent on to the sheet.

9. In a resilient socket having an outer wall, and an inner wall surrounding an opening in the socket, spaced outer prongs on the periphery of the outer wall, outer fingers between said prongs on the outer wall, spaced inner prongs on the periphery of the inner wall of the socket, inner fingers between the inner prongs on the inner wall, each of the outer prongs being oppositely disposed to an inner finger and each of the inner prongs being oppositely disposed to an outer finger, said inner fingers and inner prongs coopcrating to form a resilient inner wall on the socket surrounding the opening.

10. In a fastener socket provided with a stud-receiving opening and having an inner wall surrounding the opening, a pair of radially spaced sets of prongs on the socket, said sets being adapted to be bent radially in opposite directions, and fingers surrounding the opening to form with one set of prongs the inner wall of the socket, the other set of prongs being spaced outwardly of said one set and the ends of the socket being separated by a gap.

11. In a socket formed from a single elongated and slitted metal strip, a set of prongs projecting from each edge of the strip, the prongs of one set being arranged in alternate spaced relation to the prongs of the other set, and said strip being bent into circular form to arrange its ends in slight spaced relation.

12. In a non-resilient fastener socket having an inner and an outer wall, and a third wall integral with and connecting said inner and outer walls and adapted to be applied to a flexible sheet, means for mechanically stitching the socket to the sheet comprising a flange in spaced relation to the connecting wall and adapted to be arranged on one side of the sheet, and sets of prongs on the inner and outer walls, respectively adapted to pass through the sheet, said prongs when bent on the other side of the sheet, cooperating with the flange to compress the sheet therebetween.

13. In a fastener socket, an inner studengaging wall surrounding a stud-receiving opening in the socket, an outer wall, sets of prongs on each of said walls adapted to be bent in opposite directions, and means for reinforcing said walls and for providing a fulcrum, about which the prongs may be bent comprising horizontally bent fingers on said walls directly underlyin the prongs.

14;. In a socket formed from a single strip of metal, reinforcing fingers on said strip, a pair of sets of prongs on the strip, adapted to be bent in opposite radial directions, and overlying said fingers, the ends of the formed strip being separated by a gap whereby the socket is made resilient.

15. In a fastener socket having inner and means on the socket for securing the socket to a sheet of material.

16. The method of making snap fastener, sockets comprising forming, slitting and severing straight blanks provided with prongs on opposite edges thereof from a strip of material, drawing up the edges of the severed strip to form the outstanding prongs, and then bending the formed strip in a plane at substantially right angles to the prongs into circular form to arrange the ends of the formed strip, adjacent but out of contact with each other.

17. The method for attaching to a flexible sheet, a carpet fastener having two sets of outstanding prongs and corresponding sets of reinforcing fingers between said prongs, comprising forcing the prongs completely through the sheet to project beyond the upper face of the sheet and bending said sets of prongs in opposite radial directions, one set being bent outwardly and the other set inwardly on to said upper face to interlace the sets on said upper face and to compress an annular portion of the sheet between the prongs and the fingers- DANIEL I. REITER. 

